After a delay due to COVID-19, the city’s curbside yard waste pickup will begin next week – the week of April 20.
Waste Management postponed the typical start of yard waste pickup due to the emergency declarations in Michigan and across the country, reducing their number of on-the-road staff, and focusing on trash and recycling pickup. With the governor’s newest stay-home order, composting was included as an essential service.
Curbside bulk waste pickup remains canceled for now. Those in the city limits can dispose of items like furniture, mattresses, and carpet rolls in a marked dumpster at the Department of Public Works, 150 S. Kendall St. Staff are working on additional dumpster locations around the city.
Neighbors inside the city limits may place yard waste items at the curb on their regular trash pickup day each week, typically through the end of November.
Leaves, downed branches and other yard waste should be placed in specially marked containers and/or paper yard waste bags, or tied into four-foot bundles. The bags are available at most area grocery and hardware stores. Approved containers may be up to 32 gallons in size and should be clearly marked “yard waste only.” Each bag, container, or bundle must weigh 50 pounds or less.
Other options for addressing yard waste are:
- Mow your lawn and leave the grass to create natural mulch.
- Haul yard waste to Brice Pit, the city’s compost site, at 715 W. River Road. Brice Pit is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. While Brice was previously closed, in line with the governor’s latest stay-home order, it will reopen on Monday, April 20. Please use the social distancing guidance of keeping six feet of space between yourself and other visitors.
- Haul yard waste to the marked dumpster at the Department of Public Works. This was placed during the postponement of curbside pickup, and will remain for the time being.
Please stay tuned for additional changes and updates. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this unpredictable time. More information on yard waste and recycling is available at our website, www.battlecreekmi.gov/recycling.